recommending family history screening for all patients with a family history of breast and ovarian cancer

One out of two men and one out of three women will develop cancer during their lifetimes.

Among these individuals, 5-10% have a hereditary syndrome that can cause them to develop cancer at a much earlier age than typical and have increased risk of developing multiple cancers. Family history can help you identify individuals who would benefit from increased cancer screening or genetic testing. Family history risk assessment and genetic testing are tools that can personalize cancer screening and prevention options for patients at risk of cancer. This program demonstrates and allows you to practice quick, easy approaches to using cancer family history and genetic testing in practice.

This program is case-based and addresses skills and knowledge about cancer family history risk assessment and genetic testing. Each individual course addresses a specific skill or topic, such as recognizing red flags and inheritance patterns or interpreting genetic test results. Each course takes approximately 15 minutes and includes the following:

Working through the videos and practice cases, you will practice identifying, evaluating, and managing patients who are at different levels of cancer risk. The program also provides strategies for finding and collaborating with genetic experts, approaches to communicating risk, and tools to use in your practice.

Why is family history important?

One out of two men and one out of three women will develop cancer during their lifetimes. Five to ten percent of those individuals have a hereditary cancer syndrome that can cause them to develop cancer at a much earlier age than typical and have increased risk of developing multiple cancers. There is a free, simple genetic "test" that can help you identify individuals who would benefit from increased cancer screening because of their underlying increased risk – family history. This program demonstrates and allows you to practice quick, easy approaches to collecting, recording, and assessing cancer family history information.

Who funded this program?

This program is jointly funded by the Maine Cancer Foundation and The Jackson Laboratory Director's Innovation Fund.

Who wrote and reviewed the content?

The program's content was developed by The Jackson Laboratory Clinical and Continuing Education Program staff. The following individuals reviewed one or more course:

Who developed the video and who are the actors?

The videos in Courses 1 - 4 were shot and edited by The Jackson Laboratory Multimedia Services with consultation from David Fuller of Airstream Pictures. The script was written by The Jackson Laboratory Clinical and Continuing Education Program staff and reviewed internally and externally. The video cast included:

Doctor: Carl Karush

Patient (Kelly): Nicole Cardano

Genetic counselor: Meg Haskell

Expert clinicians and patients in Courses 5 - 10 include:

Diane Seibert, PhD, ARNP, FAANP, FAAN

Christine DeGirolamo

Howard Levy, MD, PhD

How much does the course cost?

The course is free for participants, but does require a short registration process.

I'm a nurse; can I get continuing education credits?

After successful completion of the quiz at the end of each course, any participant can print out the certificate indicating the number of credit hours. You may submit this certificate to your professional organization to obtain credits per the organization policy. We are exploring nursing CE credits for this program.

Who is this course for?

This activity was developed for primary care physicians, advance practice nurses, and physician assistants working with patients with a family history or other risk factors for cancer.

Funding provided in part by

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About This Program

The goal of this program is to improve the primary care provider's ability to identify and manage individuals at increased risk of cancer based on family health history risk assessment. Read More